The Best of the Unexpected
by The-Lady-Undertaker
Summary: My first story ever...Not as bad as you might think...
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: An Empty Town…

"Alright Henry," she said with a smile, "No T.V., no sweets, do your homework, brush your teeth, wash your face, and get to bed." She turned from me walked over to the kitchen counter. "Your food's in the microwave. Okay? Momma's gonna be back home late tonight."

"Okay, where are you going?" She turned onto me suddenly.

"It's none of your business where I am going. And anyhow-" The microwave went off, signaling its contents were ready to be devoured. _Or at least that's how Emma described it to me once. _"Looks like your foods ready… Goodnight Henry." She gave me a kiss on the head and strolled over to the front door.

"Goodnight…Mom." It keeps getting harder and harder to call he mom ever since Emma showed up. She gave me a toothless grin and walked out the door, down the front steps and over to the black car parked in our driveway. I watched her as she pulled out and drove down the road. 5…4…3…2…1…gone. _Well, now what? I usually do all my homework before I get home. I could always work on "Operation Cobra". Now let's see. Mary Margret…Snow White. Archie…Jiminy Cricket. Regina…Evil Queen, heh, no doubt about that one. Mr. Gold…I never could find out who he was. I think I'll go investigate. _I almost went out the back door until my personal alarm system went off. That is, my stomach started rumbling. _Maybe I should eat first. I wonder what Regina put in the microwave…_

I walked over, well more like sneaked over to the sheriffs' office, hoping to find Emma there. _Aww, where is she. Oh, I bet she's with Regina. Well, I could always head over to the library. I think she said she's staying open later tonight. _Something seemed out of place as I walked down the street. Everything looked so empty.

_Well duh Henry, look! Everybody's closed. I wonder why. _I looked at my watch Regina bought me for my 8th Birthday. _It's only 8:19; most of the shops here don't close until 9:30. That's almost an hour from now. _I looked around at all the closed windows. _There's probably a Town meeting, that's why everyone's closed. _It made sense…But then, _why wouldn't Regina tell me there was a meeting going on tonight. It's not like she's never gone to a town meeting before. _I kept on walking down the streets until I found myself in a part of own that no one visits too often. Not that it wasn't nice place or anything… It's just that this is where Mr. Gold's Pawn shop resides. _Funny, out of all the places that would be open when everyone else is closed. Talk about a dim light in an empty town._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Pawn Shop

_Actually, I don't think I've ever been in this pawn shop. What am I talking about? She's never let me go into __**any **__pawn shop, lets alone any Shop owned by Mr. Gold. At least, not alone anyways. _I walked over to one of the ill-lit windows in the front of the store. Some of the lights were on, but it sure seemed darker than it did before. _But then again you were farther way weren't you Henry? I wonder if?_ The sign on the door said closed, but almost all the lights were on?

Then again, they were kinda dim. I started to remember what Regina kept telling me about Mr. Gold…To stay away from him. _I wonder why? I mean I guess he looks a little creepy, but he can't be-I mean…he's not dangerous…Is he? _I placed my hand on the doorknob. _If it's unlocked I'll go in, if it's locked I'll just go home. _I twisted the knob…and…_ It's open…great…Well, go on Henry, what are you waiting for?_

"Someone to scream 'don't go into the closet'". I mumbled quietly to myself. _Look, all you're doing is looking around, you're not hurting anybody. _I put my left foot in between the wall and the door, leaving enough to poke my head through the crack to see if anyone was around. _Oh, very likely Henry. Who else would be around? _"Hello? Hello!" I brought the door to a close as my body followed my head and foot through the door. A shiver went through my spine as I leaned my back against the cold, hard wood of the door behind me. "Anyone home?" _So this is what a pawn shop looks like. _I found myself turning my self round and round so I could look at every wall and every shelf that was covered in miscellaneous items from all over the world. I somehow had managed to end up in the cent of the store. _Look at all this stuff. I don't see why Regina calls it junk. It's absolutely fantastic._

I walked over to the counter on the left side of the room. It held various pieces of costume jewelry, diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Nothing I would be interested in, but… _maybe I could get something for Emma. It could be a late birthday present._ _I wonder what her favorite color is. There's so much to choose from. _While I was looking for something special for Emma something long and shiny caught my eye. It was s silver scepter about three feet long with a king cobra coiled around it. Its head served as the top of the scepter and its eyes were two large emeralds. I've never seen anything like it. "Wow, this is my kinda item!" I exclaimed, rather loudly, unfortunately for me. Apparently while I was gazing at the scepter I had accidentally come by a guest.

"Good Evening Mr. Mills." The voice behind me had caught me by surprise and I dropped the scepter and froze where I stood. _Great, now he probably thinks you were trying to steal from him. Not only that. He probably has video recorders everywhere around the shop. He's probably going to try to get you arrested. How are you going to get out of this one Henry? _I made up my mind right then and there that when I turned around that I was going to explain to Mr. Gold why I was here, what I was looking for, and that I wasn't stealing anything. I heard him and his cane make their way over to where I was standing. He wasn't close enough to where I could feel his breath on my neck. But he was sure close enough to make a fella nervous. "Turn around, Mr. Mills." I began thinking on how I was going to explain all of this, but my train of thought was interrupted by the man being me clearing his throat, a sign to me which meant that he was becoming impatient. I quickly turned around and began explaining my self, unfortunately it all came out in a language in which I like to call "Henrish", and not even I understand that language. After a few moments of…ehem, "Henrish", I saw the most bizarre thing in the world, or at least to me. Mr. Gold was…was…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Late Night Conversation

_Chuckling? He's chuckling at me? First he sneaks up behind me like he was gonna arrest me or somethin'. And then he chuckles at me? I don't think so! _"What's so funny?" He stopped abruptly. _Good going. Now he's really upset. _His eyes got all squinty and then he smiled. _Alright Henry fight or flee?_ I asked myself.

"You certainly are you're mother's son." He then turned around and headed to the counter in the center of the store. _Well, that was unexpected. _"Filled with fire and not afraid to stick up for yourself and others. And, not afraid of me. Bravery or lapse of judgment?" He leaned on the counter. "Would you mind grabbing that scepter for me? Bending isn't really my strong suit." He motioned towards his bad leg which was accompanied by his cane. _Well, go on Henry, pick it up._ I urged myself on.I picked it up and set it on the counter, soon after, I backed up around three feet from the counter. _Better safe than sorry. _"You know, you don't have to back away from me. I don't bite…much." _And just how do I know that? _I said to myself. He gave me a half-smile and said, "Don't move, I'll be right back." He then walked out of the room.

_Okay, maybe he's not so bad. I mean come on, he just made a joke. Who knew he could crack jokes. Oh! Henry! Mental Note! Cracks jokes when no ones around! Good to know. Hmmm, I hope he doesn't think I'm afraid of him. _Just then I decided to do something very Emmaish. I jumped up onto the counter top and waited till Mr. Gold got back from wherever he was coming from. Actually when I really got to think about it he wasn't as scary looking as everyone says he was. Now that I think about it, it looks as if he's got everyone fooled. _He looks more friendly than anything right now. Oh here he comes now, stay cool Henry. _"Well, I see one of us in here is very brave. I wonder who it is. You for sitting on my countertop, or me for hiving a child, under the age of fourteen, candy after 9:00 pm." He handed me a large caramel pop.

"Wow Reg-, I mean, my mom never lets me have these! Thank- wait after 9:00 pm! She's gonna-" First of all be careful jumping off this counter top before you fall off of it. I wouldn't like to have Madame Mayor on my back because her son got hurt in my store. And secondly, wherever she is right now, she won't be back from a while yet."

"Oh…" I wanted to ask so badly about where she was but she probably wouldn't tell me.

"Now, Mr. Mills-"

"Henry, you can call me Henry. I don't mind." I honestly didn't. "A lot of people around here call me Mr. Mills. To them I'm the mayor's son. Not Henry…" I looked down towards the floor. Then, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Alright then Henry. Believe me, I know how that goes. Except for me it's switched 'round. I prefer people calling me Mr. Gold instead of using my first name." I looked up at him expectedly. "What?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"What's your first name then?" He cocked his head to the side in confusion, something you would rarely see him do.

"You're certainly a curious one aren't you?" It sounded more like a statement than a question, and I nodded vigorously in agreement. He gave me a wide smile and said, "How about I make you a deal? If you can guess my name before the week is out, I'll give you any item in this store…free of charge."

"No matter the price?" He nodded his head.

"No matter the price. Deal?" He stuck his hand out in front of me…

"Deal." And I took it. "Hey Mr. Gold? Do you like making deals?" He leaned his head over to the left in thought.

"I suppose you could say so, yes. Anything that has anything to do with loopholes." I nodded in thought. _Henry! Mental Note! _I called to myself. _He likes making deals! Remember that, it could come in handy._

"Is your name Robert?" He shook his head. "Didn't think so."

"So Henry, do you always run about when ever your mother goes somewhere after dark?" I nodded. He looked faintly surprised. I guess he didn't expect me to be honest with him. Guess he didn't know how honest I really was with people.

"What about Philip? Philip Gold?" He made a funny face a shook his head.

"No, and thank goodness for that. Philip was my drunken uncle." I laughed.

"Come on, seriously?"

"Yes, unfortunately he was a light drinker. Just one glass and," He motioned to the floor. "There he is with the glass still in his hand. Try again." He smiled and leaned on the counter with his head in one hand.

"Oh, I know!" I exclaimed. "Eugene, Eugene Gold." He sighed…

"Henry," he said calmly. "Do I look like a Eugene to you?"

"Um…well?" I gave him the hugest grin I could muster to Mr. Gold and out of him came the most unexpected series of shrill giggles. All of which were absolutely hysterical. I couldn't help but join in the fun. After a few more aching bellies, jokes, and rallies, Mr. Gold managed to get the first words out into the open.

"Well Henry," He said in between faint giggles. "You definitely know how to bring the, shall we say, unexpected out of people."

"Thank you, whew." He walked out of the room and into the back. _I wonder what he's doing now. _He came out without his cane and both his hands closed and down.

"Pick one." He had a mischievous glint in his eyes. I pointed to his right hand. And when it opened…

"Wow, this is so cool!" I was a snake ring and it looked like it coiled around your finger.

"I noticed your affinity for snakes. Now get going before your mother gets home." He began to limp into the back room.

"Wait, Mr. Gold!" He stopped and turned around to face me. I jumped off the counter top and walked over to him. "How come you're giving this to me? I haven't guessed your name yet." He smiled and placed that same warm hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Consider it collateral. I haven't had a laugh like that in ages." He smiled and turned back around. "You better get back home before-" He stopped talking as I caught him by surprise with a hug from behind. _Wait till I tell Emma about this._

"Thanks… Emmet?" He started giggling again.

"You're welcome!" He said. "And no, it's not Emmet! Now go on before she gets home. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Go on!" He ruffled my hair as I sped towards the door.

"G'bye Mr. Gold!" I called out as I ran through the door.

"Goodbye Henry!" He called out after me. I barley heard him as I was running down the street

"Wait till I tell Emma!" I laughed as I ran. _Talk about your late night conversations._


	4. Chapter 4

_**I'm baaaaa~aaack! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I've had loads of school stuff going on. I pwomise to keep up with my fanfics. **_

_**Oh. And I have a question for you. I'm going to bring in and OC for Henry. I kinda need help coming up with a name. Her description will come later in this very chapter... READ ON!**_

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_I was alone in a dark room...Filled with a heavy purple mist... "Hello?" I called out to no one in particular... Suddenly, a greenish-grey hand stuck out of the shadows __that were surrounding me... It's nails were long, sharp, and unkempt... the purple mist began to swirl around my feet...Gradually moving up my legs... A high-pitched voice __rang in my ears..._

_"Do we have a deal?"... It kept echoing inside my head... I stretched out my hand so I could grab it... _

_"Henry! Don't! Henry!"...I heard people calling my name...Something was keeping me from shaking the mysterious hand... But for some reason, I felt like I should __grab it..."Henry, No!" I placed my hand in the hand in front of me... Shrill giggles began to fill the air..._

_"The deal is struck!"...The voice echoed in my head...Sound began to get quieter, and the mist around me began to rise... The hand left min within seconds and the __room began to get darker and darker..._

_"Hey! Wait! Who are you! Come back!"...i'tried to run after he figure that belonged to that hand but all I could see was black...I felt the floor leave beneath me and...__and..."Ahhh!"_

"Ahhh!" I found myself sideways on the end of the bed tangled up in my covers. "Well that's one way to wake up." I untangled my self from the the covers and fell face first of the floor. Which is very cold by the way! What happened last night?... Oh yeah! Mister Gold's Pawn Shop! Whoa... Regina would wring my neck if she knew I saw him last night. Henry, note to self... Find Emma and figure out what her favorite color is.

I stood up and looked at the clock on my side table. Wow...It's already 6:00. She usually gets me up at 5:30. "I wonder where Regina went..." I put on my favorite slippers and robe and stuck my head out of my bedroom door. Empty hall... She's probably down stairs... I closed my door behind me and I snuck down the stairs.

"Hey Mom!? Sorry for waking up so late!" I called out for her again, but I didn't get an answer. I walked into the kitchen, half-hoping she wasn't there to ask why she "might" have seen me walking out of Mr. Gold's shop. What's this... I found a note on the table top. "Dear Henry, I left some toaster waffles for you in the fridge. I'll see you after school. Love, Mom." She must've been out doing something really important.  Just then, something really important dawned on me...

"Sweet! I get toaster waffles!" I made a beeline for the fridge, found the yummy treats, and popped two of them into the toaster. Then I ran back upstairs to get ready for the day ahead.

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After I ate my waffles and brushed my_ teeth,_ I headed out the door to walk to the bus stop. When I usually go on my way, I usually walk alone. But this time, I saw someone walking down the street in front of me_._ Wow... Who is she? She was a ways ahead of me but I could kinda see what she looked like. Or at least I could see what color her hair was. Geeze! It's a bright red! But that wasn't the only thing I noticed. There were a couple of boys blocking he path on the sidewalk.

"Hey! I asked you nicely once! I won't do it again!" I could hear her yelling down the sidewalk. I picked up my speed and the closer I got, the better I could recognize the two boys. Boi Little-ton Blue and another one of his friends he hangs around with. They were the school bullies, and no one who was really their friend unless they were getting something else in return.

"Oh! What are you gonna do?!" The two boys started laughing at her. Well Henry...do something! don't just stand there!

"Hey! Leave her alone!" They took their attention off of her and put it on me.

"Or what!" Then Boi smiled. "Hey, wait a sec... Aren't you the Mayors kid?"

"Maybe." I wasn't about to back off from them. "What's it to you?"

"My pa's really mad at her." He started getting closer. "I hate it when my pa gets mad. We'ed do anything ta' make my pa happy. wouldn't we Joey?" He turned to his buddy and then laughed.

"Sure would Boi!" And then he started laughing too. They started getting real close to me now... Good going Henry... Now what are ya' gonna-

"Hey! Leave him be!" My thoughts were interrupted as the girl from before. Now I could see her clearly, her hair looked even brighter now. And her eyes a were a bright shamrock green. One thing caught me off guard Her skin wasn't as fair as a I would 've expected. She had light brown skin... Not that I minded... Okay... where did that come from? "Get away from him!"

"And If we don't ?" She smiled very lightly and said... "Please..." For some odd reason they backed away from me. "Now why don't you two chaps just be on your way." She leaned on the long stick- Did she have that when I first saw her?... she leaned on the long stick she held tight and smiled again, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. The two boys started laugh again.

"You think your so tough?!" I think we ought to teach her otherwise. Bio raised his hand and brought it down lighting fast. This isn't gonna turn out well... I turned my head and shut my eyes and waited for the smack I was sure to hear, I instead heard a large _CRACK!_ "OW! My hand!" I opened my eyes to see Boi on the ground holding his hand with his buddy standing over him looking extremely nervous.

"I said... _Please..._" The two ran off faster than anything I've ever seen while she stood there smirking. She walked over to me. "Are you okay?" Huh... She's got a English accent... Wait! What just happened? Oh! Henry! She's talking to you! Say something back!

"Huh?" Nice Henry, real nice...

"I said are you alright?" She tilted her head to her left and looked at me with amusement.

"Oh! I'm fine. How about you?" She laughed and shook her head.

"I'm fine," she paused. "And you're silly." She looked like she was looking at something past my head. I turned my head to see what she was looking at.

"You see something?" I said with my head still turned away.

"No." She said simply. Her smile slightly faded

"So what are you staring at?" I turned my head back to her. She was looking at the ground now.

"Nothing... I can't see anything... I'm blind..." I lowered my head. Good going Henry. You've barley known the girl two minutes and you've already hurt her feelings. 

"Oh, Geeze. I'm sorry... I didn't-"

"No!" I picked up my head real quick. "Don't worry about it." She gave me a big smile. " I- I mean, you shouldn't be apologizing. In fact, I should be thanking you." This time I cocked my head to the left.

"Why are you thanking me? You saved me!" She giggled sweetly. Sweetly? Really Henry? You're going soft.

"Did you hear me?" This time she cocked her head to the right letting some of her bangs fall into her eyes.

"What?" I snapped out of my daze and she giggled again.

"You sure get easily distracted. Don't you?" Her smile grew to reach her ears. "I said you probably wanted that to happen the other way around!" She backed up from me a little. "You know! I being the obvious damsel in distress you you being my knight in shining armor!" She laughed again and spun around.

"Yeah." I said. "You'd probably look better in a dress than I would." I blushed, and I was very happy to know that she couldn't see that.

"Aw! Thank you. That's very sweet." she stopped moving for a moment and then asked me a question. "Do you know what time it is?" I gasped and looked down at my watch.

"It's almost 7:00! they'res no way we'll make it to the bus on time!" She turned around.

"Yes we will!"

"How?" Then she took off running down the sidewalk. "Hey! Wait up! Where are we going?!" I caught up to her when she told me one word.

"Shortcut!" She made her way expertly through streets i'd never even been on before.

"Do you know where we're going?!" She laughed as we ran.

"Of course! I always know where I'm going!" Within two minutes, I found us at the street opposite the corner of the bus stop.

"Wow..." I smiled. "You really know where you're going..." She smiled at me while catching her breath.

"Like I said. I always know where I'm going." Then for some unknown reason, she started laughing, and I did too. "Hey, you know what... I never did catch the name of my knight in shining armor." I'm her knight in shining armor! Wait why do I care? Henry, you know why you care... No I really don't... Oh never mind.

"Henry, my name is Henry Mills." She nodded.

"So you are the Mayors son. Well Henry Mills," She curtsied. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"You too!" Then I thought of something, I never got her name. "What did you say your name was?" She was walking across the crosswalk.

"What did you say?!" She was too far across the street to hear me.

"I said-!" Suddenly the traffic lights turned green and a car was speeding up the street where she was walking. "Hey! Look out!" She turned to hear me any finish cross over to the other side of the street... but the warning came too late. "No!" I turned my head away and I heard the impact. I ran over and people started gathering around. "Hey..." I shook her a little... "Wake up..."

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**_AHH! Cliffhanger! Sorry for not updating stuff has been going on. Uh, so she gets hit by a car, and he hasn't even gotten her name yet. I'm so evil... Please Review! Oh and yes, I do have a new pen name. I was Scarlet-Nightshade... So... REVIEW and don't be afraid to give me some names of teh OC!_**


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